Greek food

Food & Wine Pairings

Food and Wine Pairing Classics with wines from Western Greece

In Greece wine is traditionally served alongside food, especially the delicious Mediterranean flavors that various local Greek cuisines offer. And Western Greece especially, offers a great variety of wines and styles that make for an alluring combination with food. One of the main characteristics of Wines from Western Greece is their subtle character that reveals another, unexpected charm when sipped with seasonal Greek food as well as dishes from international cuisines. The attraction of Western Greece’s wines is this subtlety and elegance. Their balance between acidity and fruitiness, a result of the wonderful climatic, very often high-altitude, conditions, plus their abundant mineral tones, due to the complex geological composition of their soils, make them ideal for drinking with a meal.

Achaia and Ilia are bracketed by the 37^th and 38^th parallels, yet despite their relatively southern location they are very much influenced by two factors: proximity to the sea and high altitude (in specific locations). Thus, the grapes tend to be perfectly ripe in flavors but high in acidity due to the cooler-climate conditions. Some vineyards, in regions such as the PGI Slopes of Aigialia climb up to 1000m. above sea level or even more. The delicate acidity and inherent energy of these grapes result in wines that are very food-friendly and absolutely brilliant to pair with food. Powerful, assertive, concentrated wines can be really beautiful on their own, but their extreme power can be tiring on the palate. But a wine from Western Greece will never become tiring, busting with energy and freshness making it ideal additions to the dining table.

Greek salad

Spinach pie

“Ntolmadakia”

Slow cooked lamb

Lamb kebabs

Stewed octopus

“Galaktomboureko”

“Baklava”

Almond or walnut chocolate tart

Greek salad

Here the dominant ingredients are feta cheese, olives and extra virgin olive oil which tend to work best with a citrussy white. Why don’t you try an Assyrtiko from the Western Greece and regions such as the PGI Ilia or PGI Achaia? The more olive oil you add the better not only for the taste of the salad but also for this fantastic pairing. The high acidity levels and the body of Assyrtiko will balance the oiliness of the plate. Don’t forget to dip your bread in the lovely tomato-olive oil juice after you mix your salad very well.

Spinach pie with feta cheese and homemade phyllo dough

Roditis from PDO Patra or PGI Slopes of Aigialia and PGI Achaia is an excellent food partner with its lower alcohol and lovely lemony freshness, thus covering various dishes from fried small fish to vegetable pies with greens and cheese. The classic spinach pie made with feta cheese from the region of Kalavrita is an absolute stunner. The lemony acidity of the wine cuts through the oiliness and the crunchiness of the pastry dough as well as the saltiness of the spinach and feta-cheese stuffing. Every sip is cleansing the palate and prepares for the next tasteful byte.

“Ntolmadakia” (stuffed vine leaves with herbs and rice)

Malagousia is an excellent grape variety to match with food. Especially those Malagousia wines that come from the PGI Slopes of Aigialia are bursting with high acidity, freshness and some herbal undertones. The herbal and vertical character will match excellent with this classic dish of the Greek cuisine. Whether eaten plain, or with a topping of the thick textured egg-lemon (avgolemono) sauce this is absolutely a match made in heaven. The high aromatic intensity will pick up the herbal flavors of the “ntolmadakia”, while the acidity will balance the creaminess of the avgolemono sauce.

Slow cooked lamb shoulder in the oven with potatoes and herbs

Nothing can be nearly as good as a perfectly cooked lamb in the oven with slow-roasted potatoes that pick up the flavors of this delicious meat. And probably there is nothing more classic than this extremely full-flavored dish. This is a must go for PGI Ilia red wines such as Avgoustiatis or PGI Letrini made from a blend of Refosco and Mavodaphni grapes. However, if you would prefer to eat it the Greek way with lemon and some yogurt-mint sauce, a full-bodied white such as a barrel-fermented Roditis or Assyrtiko can do the work.

Lamb kebabs with yogurt and tomato sauce

Lovely juicy textured kebabs are full flavored and ‘cry’ for a dry wine with soft tannins and intensity of aromas. A slightly oaked dry Mavrodaphni from PGI Ilia will pick up the smokiness of the grilled meat, while its bright acidity will match the tomato sauce. Yogurt adds a lactic dimension to the palate as well as providing freshness to the final combination.

Stewed octopus in red onion-tomato sauce

This is a calling card for Black of Kalavrita grape variety sourced from the PGI Slopes of Aigialia or PGI Achaia. The wine is fruity with classic cherry and strawberry aromas while the palate is elegant and energetic, with vibrant acidity. This acidity can match the acidity of the tomatoes, while some herbal undertones enhance the aromatic character of the plate.

“Galaktomboureko”

It is a traditional dessert made of sweet custard-like cream wrapped in filo pastry and covered in syrup. This is a lusciously sweet dessert that will be a perfect combination with the sticky Muscats from PDO Muscat of Patra and PDO Muscat of Rio Patra. The refreshing acidity and the body of the wines will provide balance to the lusciousness of this absolutely remarkable sweet dessert. Opt for the stainless-steel versions rather than aged ones.

“Baklava”

A baklava-style sweet with a cinnamon-flavor ice-cream is marvellous with an aged version of Muscat from PDO Muscat of Patra and Muscat of Rio Patra. The dessert is sweet enough to match the surup, but with an acidic kick to cleanse the palate. The ageing process will add divine nutty complexity to the wine and this will pair greatly with the walnut stuffing of the “Baklava”.

Almond or walnut chocolate tart

A high-quality, long aged sweet PDO Mavrodaphni of Patra will be an ideal partner for this chocolatey dessert. Full-bodied and high in alcohol will be able to stand the palate-coating effect of the rich dark chocolate and the long ageing will create a “bridge” to the nutty character of the dessert. Alternatively a piece of black chocolate will be enough to enjoy the pairing.